44 Networking tips from 4N – #1

I’ve recently (2 months ago) started networking big style and it’s quite an eye opener. To help to make the most of this new found resource and to help you to do the same, I’m starting a series of articles based around the 44 networking tips from the 4N network (of which I am now a proud member). I’ll be talking with other members, doing some interviews and posting up my findings here. It may not be beautifully chronological (or even beautiful for that matter), but I’m sure I’ll find out loads of useful information and stories to pass on to you.

So to start off with I’m going to explore Tip number 1.

Ask yourself, would your approach work on you?

This is such an important question and I’m not surprised that it’s right up there at the top. It reminds of that wonderful Groucho Marx quote,

I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.

A little while back I hired a telesales person to target particular businesses. Although she was great and a lovely person, it really didn’t work for me, and I knew that early on. Why? Because I neither like being rung up by telesales people and never buy over the phone from them. So why would you? Indeed the whole thing made me feel thoroughly uncomfortable and so the venture into telesales was doomed from the start. Fortunately I cottoned on to that pretty quickly.

So what do I like to do – and what do you like to do by way of an approach to your customers or potential customers. Well I can’t say for you, but for me it is all about interaction and building relationships. I tend to buy from people (and therefore shops) where I am treated well, where the sales staff smile at me, where they aren’t pushy but always available to help, and where they know what they’re talking about. So there we have it – my simple approach to selling.

Treat people well

Smile

Don’t be pushy

Be available and helpful

Know what I’m talking about

Of course it helps if I can give a great deal and a fantastic service too. I like that.